Innocence of Americans?
The incendiary anti-Muslim movie trailer titled, “Innocence of Muslims” elicited anger and protest across the Muslim world in reaction to its derogatory portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad as a child molester, murderer, philanderer and extortionist. In one extreme and tragic case, the United States Consulate in Benghazi, Libya was attacked, resulting in the deaths of […]
Badgers, Bombs, and Backstreet Boys
Until summer 2012, the United States of America knew very little about the modern existence and popularity of British boy bands. Groups like One Direction and The Wanted exploded onto airwaves and the Beliebers were able to fanatically devour music created by five boys instead of just one. Little do they know that boy bands […]
Ethnic Complexities of the Syrian Conflict
Despite starting out relatively peacefully, the conflict in Syria has escalated into civil war with over 10,000 civilians massacred by both government and anti-government forces alike. International debates over intervention have dominated the UN Security Council for months with the United States, United Kingdom, and their allies pushing to oust President Bashar al-Assad via NATO […]
The Future of NATO: Towards Where Will It Turn?
Originally founded as a deterrent to Soviet aggression in Europe, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is now the most successful and effective alliance the world has ever seen. However, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Alliance has often become the focus of attack by those that see it as arcane. To the […]
Diverse Dialogues: Perspectives on Microfinance in Latin America
This past May, Northeastern’s Social Enterprise Institute (SEI) led its fifth Dialogue of Civilizations program to the Dominican Republic. As part of the College of Business Administration, SEI is a driving force behind many Northeastern initiatives to channel enterprise-based solutions toward advancing the developing world. Unlike a majority of other Dialogues, this month abroad […]
Unintended Consequences: Why France’s Impossible Expectations Will Shake Its Future
On Sunday, May 6th, François Hollande of the French Socialist Party defeated his opponent, Nicholas Sarkozy, with 51.6% of the popular vote. Tough economic times and recent “terrorist” attacks in Toulouse were the foremost discussions during the 2012 electoral campaign. François Hollande, the first Socialist president in the nearly two decades since François Mitterrand, benefited […]
An Un-United Nations: How the International Body Is Failing the Syrian People
The deterioration of the human condition through violence mars history. Crimes such as slavery, forced deportation, and genocide have extinguished and defined populations. Unfortunately, crimes against humanity are not exclusive to ancestral pasts; humanity continuously faces grave challenges. During the first ten days of December 2011, one thousand Syrians lost their lives to political persecution. […]
Symptoms of Cold Warfare Between Saudi Arabia and Iran: Part 3 of 3
This is the final installment in a three-part series that examines the historical foundations, current dynamics, and future prospects of the relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Parts I and II provided historical and contemporary accounts of the two countries’ often turbulent relationship since 632 and 1979, respectively; part III is an analysis of the […]
Interview With Vali Nasr: Analyzing the Iranian Nuclear Threat
On March 6, 2012, the NUPR’s International Editor Dominic Contreras sat down with Tufts University Professor Vali Nasr, one of the world’s foremost experts on Iran and the Muslim world, to discuss the Iranian nuclear program and possible responses to it. Below is an excerpt of that interview. Q: Over the past year we’ve heard […]
Powder Keg in the South China Sea
With the launch of China’s newest naval vessel, a 1000 foot – 67,500-ton ex-Soviet aircraft carrier, it becomes a member of an elite group of nations. Only nine other nations operate these capital ships, of which only 20 exist worldwide. All nations on the United Nations Security Council, including China’s rival, India, operate and maintain […]